Work on a multi-million windfarm project, which has been opposed by campaigners for eight years, is finally set to start this summer.

The 17 turbines at Mynydd y Clogau, in Adfa, near Newtown, are expected to be up and running by spring next year.

The 66-metre turbines will provide more than 8,700 homes in mid Wales with so-called clean, green energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32,700 tonnes a year, it is claimed.

It's disappointing, but Mynydd y Clogau is one that got away

Jenny Smith, CPRW.

The company behind the scheme, Renewable Energy Systems, met with community councillors in the nearby villages of Tregynon and Dwyriw to update them on the £11 million project.

The county of Montgomeryshire is already regarded as the windfarm capital of Europe by anti-turbine campaigners, who claim the huge structures are a blot on the landscape.

Jenny Smith, of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW), which has opposed the plans, said: "There was a public inquiry into the effects of Mynydd y Clogau and two other wind farms in Montgomeryshire during 2000 and 2001.

"Although two of the sites were rejected as a result of that inquiry, Mynydd y Clogau was given the green light.

"From that moment on it was inevitable that turbines at Mynydd y Clogau would be built. It's disappointing, but Mynydd y Clogau is one that got away."

Anna Stanford, of RES, said work was planned to begin in July. "There's been some controversy surrounding the project mainly relating to the visual impact of the site," she said.

"However, we've changed the layout of the site and reduced the size of the turbine towers by two metres, which we believe will help overcome the problem. We've also increased overall capacity to get the most out of the development.

"Wherever we can we will use local contractors to build the windfarm site ."

Windfarm facts

There are 16 windfarms and 359 turbines in Wales

They generate 165 megawatts of electricity

They supply enough power to meet the needs of more than 92,500 households annually

Montgomeryshire already has the largest concentration of windfarms in the UK. Objectors to windfarms say the small rural county is at saturation point with 178 producing power at four different locations.

RES first applied for planning permission in 1996 for Mynydd y Clogau. However, the windfarm proposal was called in by the Secretary of State before the findings of the public inquiry in 2002 found in favour of the plans.